I am a firm believer that there is no one right way to do anything. Play an instrument, raise a family, lose weight, tack on whatever you want next. I believe we were all uniquely created by God, and the methods of how we choose to live life are supposed to reflect that. Not every thing will work for every body. This new journey to becoming fit has had me really seeking and gleaning from the wealth of information there is on health and losing weight, and I'm finding different ideas to be very appealing.
In the past I became very fit using exercise videos. I still like them and am tempted by many! Except for cardio unless it's dancing or kick boxing. I love weights and compound movements and yoga. Finding the time to workout for an hour at a crack has become difficult though, so through my research I have become very interested in bodyweight and military-type exercises like never before. I have enjoyed incorporating small bursts of these throughout my day and still feeling the effects the next morning. I think I'll always keep a great variety of activities going to be successful.
Did you catch Tim Ferris on Dr. Oz on becoming fit in 4 hours a week? The 3 ideas shared from his findings and tested to be true by Dr. Oz were:
1. Eat 30g. of protein every morning (which is the equivalent of 5 eggs).
2. Iced baths (3X a week), which were worked up to by first using ice packs on the chest and the base of the neck for a time.
3. Drinking a bit of grapefruit juice before a binge and following with 60-120 seconds of air squats after the binge. (Mr. Ferris recommends one binge a week, but Dr. Oz would not agree to that one.)
Oh how badly I want to be rid of this fat! But I'll be dogged if I'm gonna climb into an tub of ice to do it. LOL! Just sayin'... (I think the book is 4 Hours to the Perfect Body.) There are also a lot of running blogs out there if you're looking up weight loss, and I'm just not that interested. Right now walking makes my heel flare up, so pounding it more than that would be excruciating. In time, maybe?
Please hit me up in the comments and share your favorite forms of exercise and what makes you tick! You know, what works for you.
Pushin' through the pain!
~Pauline~
The following links are just a very few REFERENCES to what I've been reading. Please know that my finding them interesting does not mean I endorse the program or believe (or disbelieve) every word of it!
Animal Kingdom Workouts
Bodyweight Exercises for Home Firness on a Budget
Boot Camp Exercises (There is free info here, but you have to sort through many advertisements.)
How to Lose Weight in Less Than 1 Hour a Week
I can live with the 30g of protein, that's sure to help - but the rest? Hmmm. Cheers, Rick
ReplyDeleteI totally agree- everyones bodys react differently to different things. There is no one single effective method. We all have to trial & error and see what works for us....doing mini-w/o's throughout the day is awesome! keeps your heart rate throughout the day longer than 1 w/o would and you can really give it your all in 10-15 min intervals as opposed to just chugging along for 60 minutes.
ReplyDeleteEveryone's body is different, but one thing is certain, muscle burns more calories then fat. I do a body pump (weight lifting) class 3 days a week which I really enjoy. BUT my favorite that I am totally addicted to is cycling. It is extremely low impact, but it also has resistance and increases muscle, AND it has cardio. The 45 min class flies by for me. It is my absolute favorite because you don't have to buy extra gear (running, swimming, etc) you just need comfortable work out cloths and shoes. The class usually does intervals so I can push myself harder knowing I get a break in 30 seconds:) Hope this helps. Good luck with that heel. Sometimes our bodies don't always cooperate when we are trying to get it healthier;)
ReplyDeleteThose things listed are quite strange..well, not the protein thing. I agree, every body is different and there is not a one-size-fits-all diet plan. Which is why you have to find what works for you, and you alone.
ReplyDeleteI have found that I really enjoy heavy lifting, which is why I'm doing the New Rules of Lifting for Women and Abs. I'm loving it so far. I don't do much cardio, because the program says not to in the beginning, but I do still enjoy light jogs because I find peace from them.
I hope your heel..heals :) Have you looked into different shoes? Seen a doctor?
Hey, girl...I try to get 45-60 minutes of "physical activity" in each day. Usually doesn't happen all at once. Bought resistance bands for $6 on clearance @ Wally World, and am THOUROUGHLY enjoying those. Burn, baby! And I {heart} zumba! Got the dvds for my bday and I love all of it (though I can't yet make it thru some of the longer workouts) - baby steps. I also walk with a friend at a local mall 2-3 days a week (and that doesn't even FEEL like exercise until it's all over with). It's fun to walk and talk. Those are the things I'm doing, and I feel better, am starting to get the weight loss questions *yay*.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. Your cheery comment and matter-of-factness gave me the much needed strength and courage to face another day. I was at a low ebb and yr comments were a definite pick me up. For that I am most grateful. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThose are really strange, but I could handle the protein. The other stuff ... hmmmm, I'm not so sure. I tried grapefruit juice once and it was awwwwful. LOL
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more, everyone is different & responds differently to different things. This is true across the board, not just with fitness, though it is VERY true with fitness & even nutrition as well. It blows me away how so many "experts" out there think they know it all when it comes to nutrition--I just have to laugh. They all think it comes down to science & in a sense it does, but not the way they think. They think they can improve upon God's design & that's their first step in the wrong direction right there.
ReplyDeleteI have always HATED cardio. I have always enjoyed working out to videos at home. I have honestly never set foot in a gym, LOL. I first started working out when I was 19 to Cindy Crawford's Shape Your Body--this is still my all time favorite workout video. I now also like Slim in 6 & Slim Series by Beachbody. BUT since having my son my abs are totally different now & the only workout that they respond to is Lotte Berk's Hip Hugger Abs. I used to LOVE pilates too, but since having my son I just can't seem to engage my core the same way & have put it on hold for now. I've tried jogging, but my knees hate it. I like walking, but never feel like it's challenging enough. I used to do rebounding & I LOVED it, but it was killing my back (I have a compression fracture in my lower back & my chiro said it was aggravating it--he told me to NEVER rebound again). I got a used stationary spin bike on ebay a few years back & I do occasionally spin (with spinning workout DVDs), but I just do it for health, I never really see results from it. I also like to do stretch workouts sometimes, the slim series cool it off is a fave of mine.
I try to keep an eye on how I'm feeling about my workouts & at the first sign of dread I try to change things up to keep it fun & interesting & exciting. I have tons of DVDs for that reason. Though I haven't bought any new ones in at least 7 years & still don't have money to buy any new ones now & probably won't for some time.
Hang in there & keep on working towards your goal. You can do this!!
i do yoga, aerobics n weights too but it is not easy to lose weight :) but my enforced hiatus made me lose 8kg in a matter of three weeks haha... so unusual to see flat abs n abs muscless too at 69kg instead of the usual bloated look haha
ReplyDeleteBrenbren, I just HAD to buy some cycling shorts after a couple spinning classes -- and my bottom still complains!
ReplyDeleteI love going to the classes at the school where my husband teaches -- they're classes geared to the faculty and staff. I do spinning one day and a "butts, guts, tris, and thighs" class another day. I have done Pilates there too and love it, but it's on a day that doesn't work for my schedule now.
I like the classes because a) it's scheduled and expected so I go, b) the instructor changes things up each time so it's not boring, c) it's social, and d) the instructor can help with form and modifications (I have hypermobility). It's also free, one of the perks of the school; I have to arrange childcare but either husband has her at lunch at the dining hall or a friend takes her.
I used to workout to DVDs at home -- my favorite is Breakthru Fitness's Pilates Sculpt -- but I don't tend to make the time for it, and I have to rearrange furniture to have enough room. Sometimes if a class is cancelled I'll take my DVD to the gym and do it there.
My goal is mainly to get more energy and endurance, to increase health in general, to get toned, and to decrease my body fat percentage. But I do get on the scale each week in spite of myself.